iran-sanctions
16 May 2024
Iran’s defence minister and navy targeted in fresh Australian sanctions
Australia has imposed targeted sanctions against five Iranian individuals and three entities, including its defence minister and navy, saying this was ‘in response to Iran’s destabilising activities in the Middle East.’
‘Senior officials sanctioned today include Iran’s Defence Minister, Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, and the Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Qods Force, Brigadier General Esmail Qaani [and] also include Iranian senior officials, businesspeople and companies that have contributed to the development of Iran’s missile and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) programs. Iran’s proliferation and provision of these technologies to its proxies has fostered instability across the region for many years,’ the foreign ministry in Canberra said 14 May, adding that targeted entities include the IRGC Navy, ‘which seized an Israeli-linked (Portuguese-flagged) civilian vessel in international waters on 13 April 2024.’
